1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus configured to execute a brake assist control to increase a braking force generated by a braking operation of a driver of a vehicle, and automatically generating a braking force if the driver does not perform any braking operation when there is a risk of collision with a forward obstacle.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a vehicle-use collision avoidance apparatus having an automatic brake control circuit configured to automatically perform a braking operation if there is a high risk of collision with an obstacle. For example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-362452. This automatic brake control circuit automatically performs a braking operation, if it is determined that a measured distance to an obstacle is shorter than a first reference distance set in accordance with a traveling speed of a vehicle. In addition, the automatic brake control circuit notifies a following vehicle of the automatic braking operation being about to start by use of an alarm device, while performing a pumping braking operation, if it is determined that the measured distance to the obstacle is shorter than a second reference distance set longer than the first reference distance.
By giving an alarm to the following vehicle at the same time of performing the pumping braking operation, it becomes possible to increase the possibility of avoiding collision with the following vehicle.
Meanwhile, recently, there is an increasing number of vehicles provided with a brake assist control function which operates to increase a braking force generated by a braking operation by a driver of a vehicle if there is a risk of collision with a forward obstacle. When such a brake assist control function operates, the vehicle tends to decelerate abruptly, because the braking force generated by the braking operation by the driver is increased. Accordingly, in the case of the vehicles provided with the brake assist control function, the possibility of avoiding collision with the following vehicle cannot be lowered much by giving an alarm to the following vehicle at the same time of performing the pumping braking operation.